Knitting machine



April 28, 1931. w. F. ROLSTON KNITTING MACHINE Original Filed Dec; 18, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 28, 1931. w. F. ROLSTON "KNITTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Dec. 18, 1925 Patented Apr. 28, 1931 UNlElJ STTES PATENT I oFFIcE WALTER E. RGLSTON, OE ROGKFORD, ILL'ENOIS, A SSIGMOR, BY

SIGNMENTS, OF ONE-HALE TO BUR-SCH KNITTING CGMPAN'Y, OF ROCKFORD, IL-

LINOIS, A GORPORATIGN i3}? ILLINOIS DIRECT AND MESNE AS- KNZTTING- MACHINE.

Original application filed December 13, 1:325, Serial No. $6,142. Divided and this application filed November 11, 1926. Serial 1%. 147,675.

This application, relating in general to straight knitting machines, is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 76,142, filed December 18, 19:25. 7

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide improved means operated by pattern mechanism for displacing the jacks; and anotl'ier object is to provide means of this character adapted for moving the jacks to any of three levels,

the purpose of which is described hereinafter.

Other objects and attendant advantages will be appreciated by those skilled in this art as the invention becomes better understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which- Figue 1 is a vertical fragmentary section through the front bed of a straight knitting machine of the kind disclosed in my application above mentioned, with the )arts in the second level or normal knitting position;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section through the needle cam showing the needle advancing cam in the raised or neutral position, with the jack in the second level-position;

Fig. 8 is a section similar to Fig. 1, with the parts in the first level or inactive posi tion; i

Fig. is a section similar to Fig. 1, with the parts in the third level position for advancingone or moi-especial needles, as will be described more fully iereinafter;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the needle cams showing the needle advancing cam in the raised position corresponding with the third level position referred to;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the means for controlling and adjusting the jacl; holder, described hereinafter; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the division plates and a section of the bed plate.

' used in a straight, parallel-row knitting machine, in which the bed structurehere ally by 1%, The preferred shape bed, may be suitably supported on a frame structure as, for example, disclosed in said application in which said plate is removably secured by clamp screws to the end walls of a frame.

In the preferred embodiment of my in vention, the needles 12 do not have bearing support directly on the needle-bed plate but rather on individual needle supports designated generally by 13 which are so mounted on said plate as to permit of individual and independent removal therefrom. Said needle supports and the jacks and cooperating parts, which will be presently described, are maintained in definite spaced relation by division plates designated gener of each division plate is best shown in Fig. 7, each plate being a sheet metal stamping of given gauge appropriate for the gauge of the machine. The top of the bed plate is shaped to interfit with the division plates so as to accurately locate and hold them in proper spaced relation and against displacement both transversely and longitudinally of the bed plate. the provision of an upstanding slotted portion 15 on top at the throat edge of said plate, a similar slotted portion 16 at the opposite or rear ward edge and a slotted portion 17 intermediate said portions 15 and- 16. The division plates fitin these slots a nd are further located and held by a key con nection comprising a dependin lrey 18 on each division plate fitting in a channel 19 in the needle-bed plate. The slotted poi-" tions 16 and 17 are located directly beneath the needle cam mechanism which will be described hereinafter, so that thrust imposed against the sides of the division plates will be directly resisted. by reason of this connection with the needle-bed plate. It will be noted that the division plates at their rearward end project substantially beyond the needle-bed plate and are supported by This is accomplished by:

ion

a rod 21 passing through apertures in said plates, which rod is suitably supported at its ends in connection with the frame structure. By reason of the foregoing, the division plates are supported at the rearward end with ca pacity for flexing laterally so as to relieve the pattern or jack operating levers, which will be presently described, from strain and wear which might be imposed by variations and irregularities in the pattern plates on the pattern cylinder. The division plates are securely held at the top by spacing bars 22 and 23 which are slotted on their under side to receive complemental upstanding portions Qt and 25 on the division plates, these s1 aeing bars being suitably secured at their ends in connection with the frame structure.

The sinkers or presser-hooks 26 may he of any suitable construction as likewise may bethe means for actuating them. The sinkers alternate with the needles and their function is well known. The needle supports 13 are of novel construction as explained fully in my prior application above mentioned. Each needle support ind vidually and independently removable from the position shown. The extended end of each needle support provides side guides for the adjacent sinkers and the top of this portion is grooved to provide lateral guides and support for the needle. A rod 27 passing through the division plates and needle sup ports holds the latter in position and upon endwise withdrawal of this rod any needle. support may be removed from the bed independently of the others. Each needle rests on the top bearing surface of the needle sup port and is held in contact therewith by a comparatively light filler spring 28 located in the space between the adjoining division lates and removably held in position. a filler spring of this character being claimed in my Patent 1,592,509. issued July 13, 1926.

The jack, designated generally by 29, has the usual hooked end 31 engaging the upturned end 32 of the needle, and also has the usual upstanding lug 38 adapted to be actuated by the needle cams for advancing and retracting its needle to perform the knitting operation when the jack is raised and to be withdrawn to an inactive position in which the jack remains when lowered. The jack rests on a flat bearing surface ill on a jack support or housing designated generally by 35 which is pivotally mounted at its forward end on a rod 36 in close proximity to the rearward end of the coinpanion needle support. This rod 36 passes through the division plates and provide," pivotal support for all of the ack housings and, like the rod 27, it may be withdrawn to permit removal of any jack housing. It is preferred to remove the jack audits needle from the forward end of the bed and the jack housing from the rearward end. The needle support may be removed after the needle and its jack have been removed. \Vhen reassembling these parts the needle support will first be located and then the jack housing will be inserted from the rear of the bed until its leading end abuts against the inclined cam surface 87 on the needlebed plate thereby causing such leading end, which is arcuate, as shown, to locate in the conipleniental arcuate end 38 of the needle support and into registration with the place where the rod 30 is to be inserted so that the jack housing will, be strung on the rod when it is inserted.

It will be observed that when the jack is in the retracted position shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, in which its connection with the needle is in proximity to its pivotal support, it may be swung vertically upon and about such pivotal, support to move its lug into and out of the path of the needle cams which function to advance and retract the needle for knitting. In order to positively lower the jack its housing is shaped to provide a portion 39 which overlies the rearward end of the jack when it is in the retracted position and has a flat bearing surface parallel with the jack-supporting surface so as to provide flat contact of substantial lengthv with the jack. This insures against undue wear between the contacting surfaces and avoids lost motion which might otherwise develop between the jack housing and jack if point contacts between them were employed.

The means for so moving the jack housings for controlling the number of needles in action will. now be described. Any suitable or preferred type or kind of pattern mechanism may be employed for actuating the jack housings or for moving the jacks into and out of operative relation to the needle cams. In the present case, I have shown but a small section of a pattern cylin der designated generally by 41. Pattern cylinders of this type are well known and usually include disk pattern plates which act generally through the intermediary of a pattern lever to raise and lower the jacks and thus to control the number of needles in action and, consequently. the shape of the fabric. The mechanism for im' iarting step by-step movements to the pattern cylinder is not shown. In the present case I employ a pattern lever 4&3 operating between each jack housing and the pattern cylinder. This pattern lever disposed between the adjoining division plates is pivoted on a rod 43 supported on the lowermost end of the division plates and has a pivotal connection with its jack housing. This connection preferably comprises a circular member l-l on the pattern lever fitting in a complemental socket to in the jack housing. This cir cular connection permits positive actuation of the jack housing through a greater ar than with prior constructions; and in the present case I amenabledtomove the jack housing to an additional level, or through a greater range of levels than heretofore in machines of this type. The pattern lever has follower pro3ect10ns l6 and 4-7 adapted to ride on the periphery of pattern plates a8 and 49 respectively and to be actuated by said pattern plates to raise'and lower the jack housing. For purpose of clearness adapted to be reciprocated by operation of a roclrer arm asis well known in this art. The needle cainsare of awell known type comprising needle-advancing and retracting cams. It is customary to raise and lower the needle-advancing cam so that when in the lowered position it will actuate any jack lugs which have been raised by the pattern mechanism and in theraised position will pass idly over such raised ack lugs so that they will remain inactive.

Any suitable or preferred cam mechanism of this general type, or the equivalent thereof, may be employed with the present invention. The particular cam construction disclosed briefly in the present drawings is shown in full in my patent above-mentioned. It will suffice at present to state that one of the needleretracting cams is indicated by 52 and the advancing cam by While the retracting cams are at a permanent level the advancing cam 53 is adapted to be raised and lowered upon andwith respect to slide 51, said advancing cam being shown in the raised position in Figs. 2 and 5, and when in the lowered position being'substantially flush on its underside with the'underside of the cam 52. The crosshead which reciprocates the needle and sinker slides is also connected to a driver head (not shown) which in turn reciprocates a yarn-carrier (not shown) for distributing the yarn to the needles. The delivery of yarn to the needles may, however, be done in any suitable manner as it forms no part of the present invention.

l leretofore in machines of this type it has been customary to move the jacks by means oi": the pattern control mechanism to either two positionsfnamely, an inactive posin and a. normal knitting position, the ja-ess being, down inthe inactive position and up" in the normal knitting position.

The jacks might still, however, remain inact1ve even though they are in the raised normalknitting position since the needleadvancing cam 53 might be raised so as to clear he Jacks in this position, as shown in Fig. 2. In other words, with any given number or jacks in the normal knitting position and with the needle-advancing cam 53 raised the needle cams might be reciprocated any number of strokes w the needles, as desired at certain times. ll it were desired to bring only one or a comparatively small number of needles into action it would, therefore, with prior constructions, be necessary to lower or throw out of action all of the remaining needles, this being accomplished by lowering the jacks, which necessarily would require operation. of the p ttern levers by the pattern mechanism. It will be maniiest, there lore, that wherever it was required to bring a comparatively large number of needles into and out of action at intervals alternating with one or a comparatively small number of needles it was necessary to move a correspondingly large number of parts all actuated from the pattern plates on the pattern cylinder. One' illustration is in knitting the widening or fashioned portion at the calf of a stocking in which a single needle is brought into action and the reniaining needles are held out of action, the prior practice necessitatingthat the jacks of said remaining needles be positively lowered to the inactive position and then returned to" action on the next round. This obviously 11111305011. considerable wear on all of the parts involved and. especially on the cam surfaces and also was a distinct limitation on M the pattern capacity of a pattern cylinder. 7

According to the present invention any jack may be raised to a third level, that is, to a position higher than it would ordinarily occupy in normal knitting, so that the jack or jacks so raised will be actuated'by the needle-advancing cam in its raised posi tion, although said cam in such position will 'not 'actuate the jackssimultaneously held in It follows,

the normal knitting position. therefore, that in the example referred to a single needle such as the widening needle may be operated merely by raising its rcspectivejack to the third level position leavingany desired number of jacks in the normal knitting position, this being readily distinguished from the prior practice v in which it was necessary in order to knit with single needle to lower all of said remaining needle jacks and raise them again in order to return their respective needles to action.

In the present drawings Fig. 3 shows the jack in the lowermost or inactive position,

termed the first level; Fig. 1 shows the jack ithout operating 7 second level; and Fig. 4: shows the jack raised to a still higher position for advancing one or more needles, termed the third level, in which the jack lug is adapted to be actuated by the needle advancing cam 53 when the latter is in its raised or neutral position. 7

The pattern plates may be suitably constructed in furtherance of the foregoing and for purpose of illustration I have shown in Fig. 4 an additional cam lug 54 on the pattern plate 48 and a corresponding depression 55 in the plate 49 to raise the jack to the third level. lVhile mechanism of this character is particularly desirable in the knitting of a fashioned stocking it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that it has its corresponding advantages in the knitting of any fabric, especially one requiring a multiplicity of pattern control movements for moving needles into and out of action.

When the needles or any number of them are in the inactive retracted position, it is desired to hold them from moving forward. Heretofore this has been accomplished by engagement of each jack with a fixed abutment on its pattern lever. Such construction is objectionable specially for the reason, among others, that the abutment is fixed and allows only a single limit for holding its jack. The present invention contemplates the provision of jack-holding means independent of the jack support or housing and of the pattern lever. It further provides for adjustment of said holding means whereby the limit to which the needles may move forward when held in the retracted position may be varied in accordance with changes in tension of the knit ting. This is particularly desirable in the knitting of a stocking where the tension is automatically varied at different stages of the knitting.

In the present instance, referring particularly to Figs. 3 and 6, such adjustable or variable holding means comprises a rod 56 passing through and supported by the division plates and having a longitudinal recess or groove 57 the wall 58 of which is undercut to provide a somewhat pointed abutment against which the hooked rearward end 59 of the jack is adapted to engage. The jack housing is cut away at (31 so as not to interfere with the rod 56 when said housing is moved to its dit t'erent levels.

It will be manifest that when the jack is IFti'actcd and lowered to the inactive position shown in Fig. 3 its hooked end 59 will engage behind the abutment on the holder or rod 56 and thus be prevented from advancing further than allowed by the posi tion of such abutment. It will also be ob served that by imparting rotative movement to the rod 56 the position of its abutment may be changed to advance or retract the effective limit.

Any suitable or preferred means may be employed for imparting such movement, the present invention providing both adjustable and automatically operated means for this purpose. As shown in Fig. 6, an arm 62 fixed to one end of the rod 56 is adapted to be actuated by a cam plate 63 on the pattern cylinder through the intermediary of a cam follower lever (5i and an adjusting screw 65. Suitable means such as a spring 66 may be employed to hold the follower lever 64 against its cam plate. It will be manifest that the cam plate may be so shaped as to rock the jack holder rod 56 at predetermined times to vary the limit referred to, this variation occurring at certain times in synchronism with changes in length of stitch which are effected by independent mechanism. By adjustment of the screw 65 the position of the ack abutment may be varied with respect to the throw of the cam plate, thus allowing a fine degree of adjustment.

The change in tension of the knitting just referred to may be accomplished by any suitable means and in the present machine is effected by a tension-changing part (36 in the needle cam mechanism above referred to. The construction and operation of this tension-changing device is fully disclosed in m patent above mentioned; and it will be su ficient to state at present that this change is controlled by the pattern cylinder through the operation of a tension lever 67 which is adapted to rock the arm (38 having a channel-shaped adjust-er bar 69 which in turn actuates the tension-changing part 66 and imparts certain movement to the needle rctracting cams, thereby causing the ncedl: to be retracted to a greater or lesser extent, consequently changing the tension of the knitting. Such tension adjustment is referred to in the present application merely to further illustrate the purpose and advantage of the adjustable jack holder just described.

I claim:

1. In a straight knitting machine, in combination with needle operating cams. of a needle support, a needle thereon, a jack support pivotally mounted at its forward end adjacent to the rear end of the needle support, a jack on the jack support connected for reciprocating the needle and having an upstanding lug adapted by pivotal moveientof the jack support to be moved into and out of operative relation to the needle operating cams, and pattern mechanism for controlling the jack support to move the needle into and out of action.

2. In a straight knitting machine in combination, a needle, a needle-support having a needle bearing surface approximately the length of the needle, a.jack connected to the needle, a jack support pivotally mounted adacent to the rear end of the needle support and having a ack bearing surface approximately the length of the jack, cam means for actuating the jack to advance and retrac e, and pattern mechanism or ing and lowering jack support b0 move the jack into and out of operative to said needle operating means.

3. In a str knittingmaohine in comhination, a needle, a needle support having a needle bearing surface approximately the length of the needle, a ack connected to the needle, a jack support pivotally mounted adjacent to the rear end of the needle support and having a jack bearing surface approximately the length of the jack, cam means for actuating thejack to advance and retract the needle, and pattern mechanism for raising anc, lowering the ack support to move the jack into and out of operative re lation to said needle opera"'ng means, said jack support having a surface parallel with its said jack hearing surfaceand d above the jack for positively lowern a straight knitting machine in comon, a needle, needle support having a lle bearin surface appronims; ly the length of the needle, a jack conne as to the needle, a jack support pivot-ally mounted adjacent to the rear end of the needle support and having a jack bearing surface approximately the length of the jack, cam means for actuating the jack to advance and retract the needle, pattern mechanism for raising and lowering the jack support to novo the jack into and out of operative relation to said needle operating means, and means independent of the jack support for preventing forward motion of the jack when the ack is retracted in the lowered position, said means being adjustable to vary the lengthwise position of the jack and its needles. I

rm straight knitting machine in combination, a needle, a needle support having a needle bearing surface approximately the length of the needle, a jack connected to the needle, a jack support pivotally mounted adjacent to the rear end of the needle support and having a jack bearing surface approximately the length of the jack, cam

means for actuating the ack to advance and retract the needle, pattern mechanism for raising and lowering the jack support to move the jack into and out of operative relation to said needle operating means, the jack having a hooked rear end, and a rotatable rod having an abutment adaptedwhen said jack is retracted and the jack support is lowered to engage thehooked end of the jack to prevent it from moving forward.

6. In a straight knitting machine in combinatiom'a needle, a needle support having a needle bearing surface approximately the length of the needle, a jack connected to the needle, a jack support pivotally mounted adj acent to the rear end of the needle support and having a jack bearing surface approx1-' mately the length of the jack, cam means for actuating the jack to advance and retract the needle, pattern mechanism for raising and lowering the jack support to move the jack into and out of operative relation to said needle operating means, the jack having a hooked rear end, means independent of the jack support adapted when said jack is retracted and the jack support is lowered to engage the hooked end of the jack to prevent it from moving forward, and means adapted for limiting forward movement of the jack when it is retracted and lowered by the jack support, said means being adjustable to vary said limiting movement. 7

7. In a straight knitting machine, in combination, needles, a needle-bed structure including needle bearing surfaces, a separate jack pivotally and quickly detachably connected with each needle for reciprocating he same, means for actuating the jacks, a support for each jack pivotally mounted at its forward end adjacent to the rear end of its needle supporting surface, and pattern mechanism for raising and lowering the jacks. j I w 8. In a straightrknitting machine, in combination, a needle-bed structure including needle bearing surfaces, a jack for reciprocating each needle, means for actuating the jacks, a support for each jack pivotally mounted at its forward end adjacent to the rear end of its needle supporting surface, and pattern mechanism for raising and lowering the jacks, each pattern lever having a circular end fitting in a complemental recess in its jack support for positively raising and lowering it.

9. In a straight knitting machine, in combination with the needles and means for advancing and retracting the needles includingjacks adapted to be raised to different levels, of mechanism for moving said means to any of three levels, the first level being an inactive position, the second level for normal knitting, and the third level being above thesecond level for knitting with one or more needles with the needleoperating cam in its normal inactive condition.

10.In a straight knitting machine, in combination with the needles and means for advancing and retracting the needles adapted to be raised to different levels, of mechanism for moving said means to any of three levels, the first level being an inactive position, the second level for normal knitting, and the third level for knitting with one or more needles, said mechanism being adapted Gil l-LO

to operate said means in the third level position and at the same time to he inoperative as to other of said means in the second level position.

11. In a straight knitting machine, in combination, the needles, a needle-bed, needle jacks, cam mechanism adapted to actuate saidjacks to advance and retract the needles, pivoted jack support-s adapted for swinging thejacks to any of three levels, one of the lowermost level at which'the jacks are out of operative relation to said cam mechanism, another to ahigher level at which the jacks are in operative relation to said cam mechanism, and the other to :2 ,till higher level, and means whereby said cam mechanism will actuate jacks at the highest level and not at the second mentioned level.

12. In a straight knitting machine, in combination, the needles, jacks for advanc ing and retracting theneedles, cam mechanism adapted for operating the jacks, and pattern control means for moving the jacks to any of'three levels, the first a lowermost level at which thejacks are out of operative relation to said cam mechanism, the second a higher level at which the jacks are in cooperative relation to said cam mechanism and are adapted to be operated thereby to advance and retract the needles and the thirdthe'highest level, the cam mechanism being" constructed for operating jacks at 7 thethird level but not at the second level.

13. In a straight knitting machine, in combination, the needles, jacks theretor, cam mechanism for operating the jacks to advance and retract the needles including a needle advancing cam adapted to be. raised and lowered, and means for moving the iacks to any of three levels, the first being an inactivep osition at which the jacks are below said cam mechanism, the second :1 normal knitting positionat which the jacks are adapted to be advanced when said advancing cam is'lowered, and the third for advancing special needles, at which one or more needles may be advanced by said advancing cam when it is in the raised position.

14. In a straight knitting machine, in combination, the needles, means for advancing and retracting the needles, cam mechanism adapted to operate said meansto advance and retract the needles including a needle advancing cam adapted to be moved into and out of a normal needle advancing position, and pattern controlled means adapted for moving said needle operating means to any of three levels, the first an inactive levei' at which the needle operating means are out of operative relation to said camcmechanism, the second a normal knitting relation with said cam mechanism, and the third for advancing one or more special needles in which said needle advancing cam is out ofits normal needle advancing position but is adapted for advancing the one or more needlesoperated by said means at the third ievel.

15. In a straight knitting'machine of the character described, means for raising one :or more jacks to a position higher than its normal knitting position so that it will be actuated by the needle advancing cam when the latter is in its raised position.

'16. In a straight knitting machine of the character described, pattern mechanism for moving the jacks to any of three levels, the first being an inactive positiomthe second fornormal knitting, and the third being above the second level for knitting with one or more special needles.

17. In a straight knitting machine of the character described,means for holding the jacks from advancing when in their lowered inactive position including an oscillatory *rod and complemental abntments on the rod and acks adapted for engagement one with the other, and means for oscillating the rod for varying the limitof advancement.

18. In a knitting machine, the combination of needles each having an operating part providing a projection, a needle actuating canrarranged for engaging the'pro- 300M011, H'PIVOtBCl member associated with each needle serving as a support for the operating part and arranged to be rocked on its pivot to bring the projection into or out of engagement" with the cam, pattern mechanism, and a lever associated with each member pivoted between the member and the pattern mechanism for operation by the latter, each lever and its associated member having an operating connection consisting of a recess provided on the one part receiving a projection provided on the other part whereby said members are operated by the levers for moving the projections into and out of operative relation to the cam.

19. A straight knitting machine as set forth in claim 18 wherein the pivoted member provides a bearing surface tor approximately the full length of the said operating part and has another bearing surface parallel with the first for engagement with the operating part from above for positively lowering the" same to disengage the projection on the operating part from the needle actuating cam.

20. In a l-niitting machine, the combination of needles, jacks for operating the same. means for moving said jacks into active po sit-ion from an i :tive'pcsitiom-said means being arranged to "throw a different number of needles intoaction at iiil'ierent points in the knitting of a fabric, and cam means normally in a certain plane to operate the jacks disposed in active position, said cam means being arranged to be shifted to another level where it will not operate the jacks in the said active position, and certain ot'said jacks to be moved to the proper in ber of needles into action at different points fabric, and cam means in the knitting of a shiftable from one plane of operation to another plane of operation, the said cam means when disposed in one plane of operation being incapable of operating the jaclrs in the said active position thereof, and certain of said jacks being arranged to be moved to the proper level for operation by the cam means in said plane.

22. In a knitting machine, the combination of needles, jacks for operating the same, means for moving said jacks into active position from an inactive position, said means being arranged to throw a different number of needles into action at different points in the knitting of a fabric, and cam means for operating the aclrs arranged to be disposed selectively ineither one of a plurality of operative positions at difierent levels, said cam means when disposed at one level being arranged to operate all of the jacks disposed in active position but being capable of operating only certain of said jacks when disposed in another position.

In a knitting machine, the combination of needles, jacks for operating the same, means for moving said jacks into active position from an inactive position, said means being arranged to throw adifl'erent number of needles into actionat different points in the knitting of a fabric, and cam means for operating the jacks arranged to be disposed selectively in either one of a plurality of operative positions at different levels, said cam means when disposed at one level being arranged to operate all of the jacks disposed in active position but being capable of operating only certain of said jacks when disposed in another position depending on which of the jacks are moved out of the plane of the active position thereof.

1-4. In a knitting machine, the combination of needles, jacks for operating the same, cam means for normally operating such of the jacks as are moved from inactive to active position, pattern mechanism associated with the jacks for throwing a different number of needles into active position in difierent stages in the knitting of a fabric, said cam means being shiftable from normal position to another position where it will not operate the jacks disposed in active position, and means included in the pattern mechanism arranged when the cam means occupies the new position to shift one or more of the jacks from active position to the proper position for operation thereof by the cam means, the rest of Josed in active position being left undisurbed for subsequent operation thereof by he cam means.

lira knitting machine, tion of needles, jacks for operating the same, cam means for normally operating such of the o as aremoved from inactive to acti a position, pattern mechanism associated -1,; 1 a U P RI r H'lull.ol.rb jacas I01 tiliOwilig a tuiiclehn number of needles into active position in different stages in the knitting of a fabric, and means whereby only a portion of the needles whose jac rs have been thrown into active position are arranged. to be operated while the rest are not.

In a knitting machine, the combination of needles, jacks for operating the same, cam lncans for normally operating such of i s are moved from inactive to active position, pattern mechanism associated with the jacks for tar-owing a different number of needles into active position in different stages in the knitting of a fabric, and means whereby only a portion of the needles whose jacks have been thrown into active position are arranged to be operated temporarily while the rest are left idle, the said means permitting alternating from the operation of the full quota of active needles to the operation of only a portion of the active needles.

2'7. In a knitting machine, the combination of needles each having an operating part providing a projection, a needle actuating canrarranged for engaging theprojectron, a pivoted member associated with each needle serving as a support for the operating part and arranged to be rocked on its pivot to bring the projection into or out of engagement with the cam, pattern mechanism, and a lever associated with each member pivoted between tae member and the pattern mechanism for operation by the latter, each lever and associated member being disposed in end to end relation and operatively connected with one another so that said members are operated by the levers for moving the projections into and out of operative relation to the cam.

In a kni ting machine, the combination of needles each having an operating part providing a projection, a needle actuating cam arranged for engaging the projection, a pivoted member associated with each needle serving as a support for the ope crating part and arranged to be rocked on its pivot to bring the projection into or out of engagement with thecam, pattern mechanism, and a lever associated with each member pivoted between the member and the pattern mechanism latter, each lever and its associated member being disposed 1n the same plane,there bethe jacks disthe combinafor operation by the ing 'means providing an operating connection between the movable end of the lever and the movable end of its associated member, whereby said members are operated by the levers for moving the projections into and out of operative relation to the cam.

29. In a knitting machine, the combination of needles each having an operating part providing a projection, a needle actuating cam arranged for engaging the proection, a pivoted member associated with each needle serving as a support for the operating part and arranged to be rocked on its pivot to bring the projection into or out of engagement with the cam, pattern mechanism, and a lever associated with each member pivoted between the member and the pattern mechanism tor operation by the latter.

30.121 a straight knitting machine, in combination, needles, a needle-bed structure including needle bearing surfaces, a separate ack pivotally connected with each needle for reciprocating the same, means for actuating the jacks, a support for each jack pivotally mounted at its forward end adjacent to the rear end of its needle-supporting surface and directly below the pivotal connection between the jack and needle when the needle is in retracted position, and pattern mechanism for raising and lowering the jacks.

31. In a straight knitting machine, in combination, needles, a needle-bed structure including needle bearing surfaces, a separate jack pivotally connected with each needle for reciprocating the same, means for actuating the jacks, a support providing a substantially full length bearing for each jack and pivotally mounted at its forward end adjacent to the rear end of its needle supporting surface, the pivotal connection of the jack with the needle being so related to the pivot of said support as to permit tree pivotal movement of the support and insure full length bearing contact of the jack on said support in all positions of the latter, and pattern mechanism for raising and lowcring the jacks.

32. In a knitting machine, the combination of needles, jacks for operating the same, pattern mechanism associated with the jacks for moving the same to a plurality of active levels for operation, the said pattern mechanism serving to move certain jacks to a certain level and others beyond that level, and cam means for cooperation with the jacks at the different levels.

33. A machine as set forth in claim 32 wherein two levels of operation are provided for, one for ordinary knitting and the other for special knitting such as fashioning.

34. In a straight knitting machine, in combination, needles, a needle bed structure including needle bearing surfaces, each of said needles having an operating projection, a separate jack for eachneedle having a recess in the end thereof for reception of the aforesaid projection so as to pivotally and quickly detachably connect the jack with the needle, the recess in the jack permitting movement of the jack from inactive to active position and having the inner end thereof oifset to enable pivotal movement of the jack beyond the normal active position thereof to another active position, cam means for cooperation with the jacks in the different active positions thereof, and pat tern mechanism cooperating with the jacks for raising and lowering the same.

35. In a straight knitting machine, in combination, a needle-bed plate, division plates mounted in spaced relation on said needlc-bcd plate, needle supports mounted on said needle-bed plate between the division plates, a needle resting on each needle support, jack housings pivotally mounted between the division plates, a jack on each jack housing for reciprocating its respective needle, means for raising and lowering the jack housings, and means whereby any needle support may be removed independently of its respective jack housing.

36. In a straight knitting machine, in combination, a needle-bed plate, division plates mounted in spaced relation on said needle-bed plate, needle supports mounted on said needle-bed plate between the division plates, a needle resting on each needle support, jack housings piv'otally mounted between the division plates, a jack on each jack housing for reciprocating its respective needle, and pivoted pattern levers for raising and lowering the jack housings.

In witness of the foregoing I afiix my signature.

\VALTER F. ROLSTON. 

